A treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at KidderminsterA treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at Kederminster

10. Lastly, be sure that you be very suspicious of self when the case of your children or any dear Relation is before you. For self is near you, and will stick close, and will not easily be thrust out of your Counsels, nor ••aken off: And therefore in your own case, and your Children's case, or the case of your near friends, you will have much ado to overcome the cunning and strong temptations to Partiality, if you were the holiest Saint on earth: (though overcome them you will in the main if you have true grace:) But if you are dead professors, it's twenty to one but they will overcome you; and you will show the world that you are selfish hypocrites, and more for your Children and Friends than God.

10. Lastly, be sure that you be very suspicious of self when the case of your children or any dear Relation is before you. For self is near you, and will stick close, and will not easily be thrust out of your Counsels, nor ••aken off: And therefore in your own case, and your Childrens case, or the case of your near friends, you will have much ado to overcome the cunning and strong temptations to Partiality, if you were the holiest Saint on earth: (though overcome them you will in the main if you have true grace:) But if you are dead professors, it's twenty to one but they will overcome you; and you will shew the world that you are selfish hypocrites, and more for your Children and Friends than God.

Let me here give a few instances in this warning. 1. How oft have we seen it here and elsewhere, that people that make some show of Religion, and are forward to have vice punished, and discipline exercised, yet when it falls on any children, or near relations of their own, they are as much against it as they are for it on others; yea rise up with passion and bitter reproaches of Officers, Ministers, or others that are the causes of it. As one Hypocrite is tried when he denieth to suffer for Christ himself, so others show themselves Hypocrites sooner, by preferring their children, yea their sinful children, yea the present ease, or profit, or credit of their children, before their duty and the honour of God: And they will rather have God provoked, sin unpunished, and their children's own salvation hazarded, than they will have them justly and regularly chastised: yea some of them rise up as malignant enemies against them that do it.